Crescent Moon [Paperback]

Lori Handeland (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Piatkus (2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0330451332
• ISBN-13: 978-0330451338
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,978,357 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lori Handeland has written over fifty novels, novellas and short stories in several genres--historical, contemporary, series and paranormal romance, as well as urban fantasy--for such publishers as: Dorchester, Kensington, Harlequin, St. Martin's Press, Harper-Collins, Simon and Schuster and Penguin/Putnam.

She is a New York Times, USA Today, Waldenbooks and Bookscan Bestselling Author and the recipient of many industry awards, including two RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America for Best Paranormal and Best Long Contemporary Romance, a Romantic Times Award for Best Harlequin Superromance, the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, the Write Touch Readers Award, the National Readers Choice Award and the Prism Award.

Published world wide and known for her popular and highly acclaimed Nighcreature paranormal series, as well as her urban fantasy series, The Phoenix Chronicles, Lori is also the author of the SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD historical fantasy series.

Soon she will begin a new venture, writing western historical romance under the name Lori Austin. The first book, BEAUTY AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER, will be released in October, 2012.

Lori lives in Wisconsin with her husband, enjoying occasional visits from her grown sons. She can be reached through her web site www.lorihandeland.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Handeland Has Mastered the Werewolf Tale, February 10, 2006

By 

K. Montgomery (Columbus, GA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Crescent Moon (Nightcreature, Book 4) (Mass Market Paperback)

The fourth in Handeland's Moon series (with this installment it's changed to the Nightcreature sereis) is a spectacularly engrossing read. Hooked from the first page till the very last, it was difficult to put the book down till I'd finished it. Handeland's talent just keeps rising and rising and "Crescent Moon" surely will land her in the paranormal romance hall of fame.

Diana is a cryptozoologist hired to find a wolf rumored to be terrorizing the swamps surrounding New Orleans, a place where no wolves are supposed to be. Thrilled to have a chance at proving the impossible to the world, she accepts and is soon immersed in The Crescent City's world of danger, intrigue and murder. Something is definitely killing the locals and though no one wants to tell, Diana is determined to discover this deep dark secret. She's in need of a guide for the swamps and when her first is inconviently disposed of in walks local Adam Ruelle to take up the slack. Rumor has it his family is cursed, deranged....mad. What Diana finds is a sexy and mysterious man that burns up her nights and he vows to protect her from anything she might find. But is he for real? Or is hiding something of his own? Strange beginnings on her trip to the Crescent City just keep getting stranger and Diana soon knows without a doubt that she is headed for danger.

This installment is without a doubt the most solid of the series to date. Emotionally engaging, witty and unique characters, from the hero and heroine to the spunky voodoo priestess Cassandra, ensure readers will love this book for that aspect alone. Diana's character was strong, level-headed and reading her dialogue was so much fun. Adam's mysterious allure was the perfect ignitor for the puzzling circunstances surrounding the wolf (and his obvious sex appeal didn't hurt either). The plot was enthralling, with so many twists and turns and it kept me on the edge of my seat, wanting to know, no, needing to know what happened next. This installment could almost stand alone, but some characters from the previous title, "Dark Moon", do make a guest appearance and their inclusion enriches the story nicely. The previous titles are good reads as well, but "Crescent Moon" lands the entire series on my keeper shelf. The great news too is there will be more books after this one and all I cannot wait to read them all! Five very enthusiastic stars!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A different kind of werewolf..., March 4, 2006

By 

Kyra_Athena "Kyra_Athena" (Georgia USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Crescent Moon (Nightcreature, Book 4) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is the 4th book by Ms. Handeland in the Nightcreature series. I devoured the 3 preceding books just the same as this one. I debated giving this book 4 or 5 stars. It seemed a little better than 4, being not as good as the other books written before it.

This novel is set in New Orleans (with a note from the author that this was written before Katrina), the sultry and mysterious, yet elegant city of the South. Diana Malone is a cryptozoologist (a scientist who looks for Bigfoot, Nessie, and the like) with a tattered reputation. She is sent to Louisiana to investigate sightings of wolves and werewolves near the Crescent City. She meets Adam Ruelle there and the attraction is intense and immediate.

Just as each of the first three novels can stand alone, so can this one. They do not have to be read in sequence in my opinion. They are tied together by the Jager-Suchers and Edward Mandenauer more than by having the same characters in each book.

Voodoo plays a part in this book, but considering that it happens in Louisiana, I'd be more shocked if it wasn't included.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read!, March 2, 2006

By 

Mouser "The Chinchilla Guerilla" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crescent Moon (Nightcreature, Book 4) (Mass Market Paperback)

Diana is an Amazonian scientist, carrying the torch for her dead hubby by carrying on his research into werewolves and leading a lonely life. She is broke and disheartened when she gets a call to come down to the big easy and capture a real loup-garrou in the swamp. A wealthy nut says he needs the wolf and points her to a crumbling mansion and a cursed family.

Her first day there she meets a mysterious and sexy Cajun, and has a dream about him only to find a swamp flower in her bed when she wakes that magically disappears. Freaked out she gets a gris-gris from the sassy Cassandra, a voodoo priestess, then hires a local guide who shows her the swamp and a creepy mansion belonging to Adam, the sexy Cajun.

Her guide gets mauled to death and rather than get scared off, Diana stays to investigate, moving into the mansion. She hears the wolves but never sees them, falls deeper in lust with Adam, and forms a friendship with Cassandra while wandering the streets of New Orleans learning about the things that go bump in the night.

She chases zombies, meets a Voudoun goddess, learns all sorts of macabre death rituals, and along the way learns to heal her deepest wounds and open herself up to a worl she never dreamed existed.

This book kicks butt. It's, in my opinion, even better than her stunning series debut "Blue Moon" which won a RITA award for best paranormal romance. The characters are fleshed out, the mystery solid, and the story sensual in every way. You'll feel you're in the swamp staring at the sexiest man on earth surrounded by danger.

It plays out like a movie and you'll find yourself really caught up in the mystery. Is Adam a werewolf? If not, what is he hiding? Why does everyone Diana meets end up dead and foaming at the mouth?

This book is so seamless and smooth it had cemented me as a devoted fan of Lori's for all time. YOU MUST READ THIS!